


The Small Problem

by Kerouge



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V, Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal
Genre: i'm hopeful zexal trash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-26
Updated: 2016-05-26
Packaged: 2018-07-10 07:16:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,592
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6972478
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kerouge/pseuds/Kerouge
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There was a situation at hand - it wasn't that big of a deal, but the Professor wanted Edo to deal with it regardless.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Small Problem

**Author's Note:**

> I'm Sincerely Hoping the Second Zexal Character is Actually the Resistance Leader and That's Why We Haven't Met Them Yet: The Fic

                If Edo Phoenix was anything, he definitely wasn’t a slacker.

                When given a job, it was his duty to complete it with the utmost care and precision.  He fought for justice, forever and for always, regardless of whether or not someone didn’t agree with him.  And that was where his interests and Academia’s interests intertwined, and the reason as to why he was so passionate about his duty as the Commander-in-Chief.

                Justice was just as scarce as it was important in their modern day and age, but Academia was an institute dedicated to that.  Their goals to create a perfect Utopia were for the betterment of everyone in the long run.  Edo knew this, understood this, and appreciated this; his efforts reflected that, he hoped.  He would bring justice to their tainted world and liberate the innocent.  Such were the goals of the institution, and such were the goals of Edo Phoenix.

                So when the Professor said there was a situation that was just a _little_ too big to be ignored happening in the lowly Xyz Dimension, Edo had no problem with going there to fix it.  After all, he had a job to do.  It was probably just some rogue member of the Resistance being a little too frisky with their will to card Academian soldiers – there were definitely more than a few of those types running around.  He’d heard about one with a brightly-colored dragon that had been acting up recently.  He supposed that it was probably that one.

                The Professor asked for this mission to be low-key; to be something no one but him and his select group would worry about.  When questioned, the man said the situation wasn’t a big deal and wasn’t something that couldn’t be handled, so Edo shouldn’t be asking questions.  With such an enigmatic response, Edo couldn’t help but wonder why this was such a big deal, then, but he decided it would be better not to impose any further than he already had.

                So, Edo went about his business as he usually did.  He gathered his men, relayed the details of the mission, albeit vague details were all he could offer, and the crew set off without a word to anyone else.

                The mission had been located in one of the original Resistance bases – the first to go down, if he remembered correctly.  In fact, this site had been a deserted location for about a year now due to such, enticing Edo’s bewilderment with the lack of specific details to his mission to grow even larger.  He knew for a fact that no one lingered much around there, and they sent an officer every once in a while to make sure of that.  As far as Edo knew, they all got back safe.

                But maybe Edo didn’t know as much as he thought.  _A silly supposition_ , he reasoned.  _Why would the Professor keep that from me?_

But that didn’t help his thoughts from wandering and wondering.  And with wonder came the jolt of uneasiness from within the pit of his gut.  “Ridiculous,” was what he wanted to spit at himself, but the words died somewhere in his throat, drowned out by the gulp of saliva that he unconsciously swallowed as they reached the base.

                Aside from the occasional whip of the wind, it was silent.  The base was just as shambled as he’d remembered it to be – just as ash-ridden and dirt filled as before.  The area donned a bleak, monochrome pallet that he’d been so used to seeing.  It hardly phased him; it hardly ever did.

                What _did_ phase him, however, were the cards strewn across the ground.  There were hundreds upon hundreds of them as far as he could see, and as his coworkers all picked some up and paled, Edo Phoenix finally allowed the gravity of the situation to fall upon him.

                These were all Academian soldiers.  All different ranks, all different people – some of them were nameless faces he’d spoken to in crowds back home, but some were recognizable.  Some were _friends_.

                Rage brewed quietly in the pit of his stomach, the fire of his anger only being doused by the fear of the unknown enemy they were going up against.

                His associates all recoiled slightly behind him, and it was clear that he would have to make the first move.  This wasn’t much of a shock – he was the Commander, and he’d done it who-knows-how many times before.  But something about this time made his footsteps lethargic and his will restrained.  Even so, he cleared his throat and retrieved his voice.

                “Who are you?”

                Harsh and to the point, just as it should be.  He masked the fear well, and gave himself some points for that.  He tried his best to slow down his quickened breath with thoughts of _you’ve done this before_ or _it’ll all work out_ , but nothing helped very much.  Settling for slight distress over panic, he readied his duel disk, awaiting an answer.

                None came.

                “This is the Academian Commander-in-Chief.  I suggest you show yourself now, or my men and I can do this _without_ the option of a duel.”

                He’d managed to keep his voice harsh and poured all the anger he could muster up into the biting sentence he uttered at his invisible opponent.  The wind whisked with a force more intense than before, and for a moment, Edo fell under the relief that he’d have nothing to fear, and his confidence rushed back to him.  This would be easy.

                “ _Oh?  Commander-in-Chief?_ Pff, how _delicious_.”

                A malicious voice filled the air, reaching every soldier’s ear and earning a shiver up their spines for its effort.  Edo felt his face drain of color from the simple power of the voice _alone_ , and part of him didn’t want to see what spoke it.

                Even so, Edo stepped forward again, and used his fear as a backboard.

                “Show yourself!” he commanded, his voice laced with a growl of disgust.  This spurred some low laughter from his adversary, and Edo furrowed his brows.

                The voice sauntered out of an alleyway between two particularly damaged buildings.  The cards around him were stepped on or blown out his path – sometimes, both.  His stride was calm and collective, as was his posture and his overall attitude.  Something about him seemed absurdly unprofessional – how typical of a rebel.

                But something about him was different from the rest of the rebels he’d faced before – even different from that of Yusho Sakaki and his son.  The lack of professionalism also spewed an uncanny air of absolute confidence, shown less by his lax posture and more by the grin on his face, one that was large and wide and _in Edo’s face_ and for a moment, it was all he could see.  But after the moment passed, the bellowing red cape from behind him stood out _more_ , and Edo took the time to really look at the man – boy, actually – in front of him.  He wore mostly black, with a gray undershirt under his fur jacket standing out to oppose the color-norm, along with a necklace ornamented by a small, violet gem.  The gem complimented his eyes which, in contrast to _almost_ everything else about him, were sharp and calculating, zeroed in on his opponent.  His hair was just as sharp, and the orange locks were pointed upwards.

                “Ta _daaaaaa!_   I’m here, Mr. Commander-in-Chief!  Ain’tcha happy to see me?”

                The boy spoke with a chaotic flamboyancy that only made Edo scowl further.  He had no time or patience for childish antics, and he almost felt foolish for being fearful of the excuse of an adversary earlier.

                Almost.  Something about him still felt off.

                “And who exactly are you?” Edo’s voice dripped the sanctimonious tonality of authority and the boy facing couldn’t help but roll his eyes with a bit of laugh.  Edo growled.

                “Oh, me?  You mean you don’t _know_?”

                The way the boy spoke down to him infuriated Edo more, his fear practically wasting away in the pit of rage.  He felt himself step further a few steps, but stopped himself.

                “If I did, would I have asked?”

                The boy shrugged.  “That’s a fair point, I suppose.”  But as soon as the lackadaisical expression entered with that comment, it disappeared in favor of something more condescending. 

“Then allow me to display to you the Shocking Truth!”

                He drew in to reach for something attached to his belt, and with a fluid motion, pushed the cape back and spilled the contents in the air around them.

                Cards.  They were all cards.  And from what Edo could see, they were all high-ranking Academian soldiers like himself.

                Something akin to fear returned, crawling up his back and dragging its claws along him as it did so.

                “It’s a pleasure to meet you after _all this time_ , Mr. Commander-in-Chief, Edo Phoenix.  I’ve heard _quite_ a lot about you.”  He smiled and bowed, before returning his glare with the most malevolent face he’d seen on another human in a long time.

                Edo Phoenix wasn’t even sure if this boy _was_ a human.  He felt himself back up a step, and he hissed a curse.

                “My name is Vector, and I am the Leader of the Resistance.  Trust me, your death is in _capable_ hands.”

                Vector began with soft giggles at first, but they soon converted into horrifying shrills of laughter.  He stared down Edo, his eyes laced not with disgust, but with pity.

                And for the first time in his career, Edo was terrified for his life.


End file.
